FEATURE: How Ronaldo statue was Messi-ed

Cristiano Ronaldo’s statue in Funchal, capital of his home island of Madeira, has been tagged with the name and shirt number of arch-rival Lionel Messi, according to local press reports.
The graffiti was put on the statue overnight on Tuesday, just hours after Barcelona’s Argentine star Messi claimed a fifth world player of the year award, beating out Real Madrid’s Portuguese striker and three-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo in the process.

Corruption embedded in world athletics – WADA

A  said Thursday that corruption was “embedded” at the world athletics body piling pressure on its new leader Sebastian Coe. The International Association of Athletics Associaions (IAAF) must have known about corruption orchestrated by its former leader Lamine Diack, it said. But Richard Pound, the former WADA president who wrote the report, said that Coe, who took over the IAAF in August is the best person to lead reforms of the world body.

CHAN 2016: Super Eagles, others aim high

Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles and 15 other countries’ teams will clash as the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) is scheduled to begin on Jan. 16 in Rwanda.
The tournament which will run from Jan. 16 to Feb. 7 is organised by the African Football Confederation (CAF), exclusively for African players who ply trade in their respective national leagues.
Rwanda, Gabon, Morocco, Cote d’ Ivoire, DR Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Nigeria, Niger, Guinea, Zimbabwe, Mali, Uganda and Zambia are the 16 countries that qualified for the competition.
The 16 countries have been drawn into four groups of four teams each.

Arsenal sign Egyptian midfielder Elneny

Arsenal have signed Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny from Swiss side Basel for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League leaders announced on Thursday.
“Arsenal have signed Mohamed Elneny from FC Basel,” the club announced on their website. “Everyone at Arsenal would like to welcome Mohamed to the club.”

N34bn fraud: EFCC slams 40-counts charge against Tompolo, Akpobolokemi, others

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted an order sought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to serve the summons, compelling ex-Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo, to appear before the court to face a 40-count charge of fraudulent conversion of several millions of naira, dollars and property belonging to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to personal use.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: BIRD FLU

The Anambra State Government alerts members of the public about the resurgence of Avian Influenza popularly called Bird Flu in some states across the country. This disease which is usually associated with birds can also be transmitted from bird to man.

Bird Flu can be transmitted through direct contact with infected birds or poultry materials.

MISSING BUDGET: Buhari's Aide Doctored Budget--Senate

The Senate has accused the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Senate, Ita Enang, of changing the contents of the 2016 appropriation bill before making the document available to the lawmakers.
Mr. Buhari presented the 2016 budget proposal last December before a joint session of the National Assembly.

2015 SCORE CARD: NDLEA Anambra Records 68 Per Cent Success In Fighting Illicit Drug Trafficking

The Anambra state commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) , Mr. Sule Momodu has solicited for accelerated hearing of drug related cases in various courts to decongest number of drug suspects in prison custodies in the state .

CBN assures Dangote of Forex to finance $14bn refinery

Aliko Dangote andCBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has given assurance to Dangote Group that it will support it access Foreign Exchange, Forex to build its proposed $14 billion refinery in the country.

Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the CBN, said this during a tour of the refinery which is projected to refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

‘Nwobodo joined APC as a fugitive running from justice’

The South-East All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, described ex-governor of old Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo’s entry into the party as a grand plan to shield himself from the long arm of the law, following his alleged involvement in the $2.1 billion arms deals undergoing probe by the Economic Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.